Do What Makes You Happy | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Do What Makes You Happy

The best advice I have ever received.

19
Do What Makes You Happy

I was recently given some extremely wise advice from an even wiser man: my dad. I was having a very emotional morning. It was one of those where the thought of getting out of bed to face the day makes you wish you could curl back into your blissful sleep, where you feel like the moment your feet touch the ground will be the moment your life spirals out of control.

Naturally, as the independent, self-sufficient adult that I am, my only possible option was to call up my parents and beg them to tell me what I should do. My dad told me this: There will always be things in your life that will be out of your control. There will always be something you’ll wish you could change that you won’t be able to. But, you do have control over your own happiness. So, he said, get out there and do what makes you happy.

What my dad said seemed so simple in the moment, but once I hung up the phone I asked myself the question, “what makes me happy?” and I realized, pretty quickly, that I had no idea.

Sometimes, we spend so much time focused on school, on relationships, on jobs, or on just trying to keep our lives together that we forget what makes us happy. We become so focused on achieving our goals and following our dreams that we completely forget to enjoy the process of doing so. While we are busy doing other, less important things, we begin to forget how to put our own happiness and, ultimately, ourselves first.

When we choose to go to college, we think, “If I go to college, I will get a job that will make me money. Then I’ll be happy.” When relationships end we say, “I need to find somebody else. Then I’ll be happy.” When we are faced with challenges, we assume, “I just need to get through this and then I will be happy.” But, happiness shouldn’t be our end goal, it should be the way we live our lives. We deserve to be happy every single day, and it is our individual duties to treat ourselves better and to figure out what makes us happy so we can do so.

This is what I realized when I asked myself the question, “what makes me happy?” It scared me to death that I had gone so long without knowing, and so I decided in that moment that it was time for me to search myself to find out. Now, I won’t bore you with what I found, but I will tell you that having this conversation with myself changed my attitude towards life for the better.

So, what makes you happy? Is it reading or writing? Is it listening to music, or maybe making it? Is it being with your family or spending time with your friends? Is it being outdoors or playing a sport? Is it helping those in need? Is it traveling, or is it coming back home? Whatever it is that makes you happy, find it, and do it.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196695
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18737
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460785
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28261
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments